The Cat and the Beast
by Annabella Carter
Summary: What I would have liked to have seen in TDKR. It's my version of Catwoman's origin and the roles Bane and Batman play in her life. More of an Arkham City Catwoman paired with Tom Hardy's Bane. Batman/Catwoman/Bane. Begins near the end of The Dark Knight and will continue into TDKR.
1. Chapter 1

**The Cat and the Beast**

It was a simple trick. Selina did them in the shadows of Gotham City all the time. This night seemed no different from any other. The sky was bleak, dark and a storm was coming on the wind. She stood in her usual spot in the seedy Gotham neighborhood, a place where men with fancy cars came to escape their dull suburban house wives.

The rain began trickling down as a man walked towards Selina. From Selina's point of view he seemed average in every way. This should be a simple wham, bam, thank you mam. Her favorite. She pushed her cleavage together and purred enticingly, "What's a fine man like you doing in a place like this?" The man looked Selina up and down admiring her assets, "How much?"

"Well, that depends on what you want, cowboy."

"I want to you to be my toy. I want you to do any and everything I tell you to."

Selina didn't like the feverish look in his eyes or the way he was clenching his fists. "I may be a hooker, but even I have principles." She glanced down the street wishing Jen hadn't left earlier. "You couldn't pay enough for me, no deal." She began to saunter away, trying to distance herself. But the man grabbed her by the arm and threw her into an alley.

"You're not going anywhere, bitch."

"Fuck you," She launched herself at his waist, trying to knock him over. But he was a stone pillar and all she got for her efforts was a knee to the gut. She doubled over in agony, spitting blood on the pavement, "What, you a big man with a little penis?" The man was furious at this. He grabbed a chunk of her short hair and slammed her head into a dumpster. She collapsed into a puddle, gasping for breath.

"You stupid whore," the man knelt down, forcing his knee between her legs.

"Piece of shit, you probably fuck your mother," little did he know she had slipped a knife out of her boot. Just as she was going to ram the blade into the scumbag's back his eye caught the movement and he grabbed her wrist, squeezing until she relinquished her grasp. He was sitting on her so she couldn't kick him and now he held both her arms above her head. She couldn't help the tears that tumbled down her face, mixing with the rain. The man took her knife and slipped the blade inside her pants. She'd failed, she'd fucked up big time. Selina Kyle was just going to be another raped and left for dead prostitute. She closed her eyes and admitted defeat.

"That's not how to treat a woman on the first date," the gruff, rough voice startled her, Selina's panicked eyes roamed all around, but she couldn't find the source. The eyes of the man straddling her widened as he looked ahead of him, "What the…" A large, black caped figure flew into the man feet first, knocking him off Selina. A fistfight occurred, during which Selina scrambled as far away as she could. She looked back and recognized her caped savior, Batman. Of course she had seen him on the evening news frequently, but never right before her. Selina couldn't believe it, Batman saving a mere prostitute. Why? She gazed on, mesmerized, as Batman pummelled the man into unconsciousness.

Afterwards Batman strode over to her. He was backlit by a streetlamp and he seemed a very imposing figure. He was big and tall, enough to frighten any man. But Selina wasn't frightened, she gazed on him in admiration. The Batman knelt down to examine her wounds, "Are you all right?" The gruff voice sent chills down her spine. His hands roamed her head and arms.

"I've been around the block a few times, this is nothing a nice shot of whiskey won't cure," she rose to her feet and walked over to the unconscious man. She spit in his face and kicked him in the gut before taking his wallet. She took out a twenty dollar bill, "Loser," she flung the rest of his wallet down a sewage drain.

The Batman asked her, "Where do you live?" She told him the address. He picked her up and grappled her into the Gotham City night sky.


	2. Chapter 2

Selina awoke with a pounding inside her head and a large goose egg on the outside. She dragged herself to a mirror to assess the damage. "Fuck me…" Aside from the large, crusty bump on her hair line she also had multiple blue and black bruises where her face must have hit the dumpster. "God, if I'm going to keep getting into fights like this _I'm_ gonna need a mask to hide my face." She must've looked a mess when Batman swooped in to save her.

She collapsed back onto the bed, covering her face in embarrassment. It was just her luck to look like shit when she finally met the Batman. She remembered the way it felt to be in his arms as they glided over Gotham City. It was exhilarating and a bit of a turn-on. The most memorable part of the night for her wasn't her near rape, or Batman swooping in, or even flying over Gotham. It was when the two stood alone on her fire escape. His eyes were full of sympathy and concern. Selina wondered why someone who aspired to do good dressed up like a monster. She had asked him, "Why? Why would you save me? I'm just a … I'm not good or-"

"I helped you because," for a moment his eyes darkened, as though he were remembering something he'd rather forget, "sometimes a person needs a hand to raise them up." Then he looked deep into her eyes. She flinched because she wasn't used to such an intimate sensation. People had only acknowledged her surface, no one had ever tried to unveil the real Selina Kyle. "You sell yourself short," he told her, "you don't have to live this way. You're capable of more than you know."

The moment was interrupted when Jen, her roommate, leaned out the window, awestruck. "Oh my God, it's the Batman!" She turned to Selina, then to Batman, then back to Selina. "What the hell? Is no one going to tell me what's going on?" Selina replied, "He's my knight in dull, black armour. By the way I haven't said-" she turned back to Batman, but he had disappeared. She sighed, "thank you."

Selina got out bed and searched for an Advil or anything to help ease the tension in her head. She was still trying to sort out the implications of the night before. Throughout her life Selina had lived from day to day. She never looked beyond the next month's rent. Her goal had always seemed simple enough: survival. Easier said than done, that's for sure. Selina had been orphaned as a young girl. She didn't have family, Jen was her only friend, but they weren't very close. Life hadn't been easy. But somehow Selina always managed to get by.

Selina gazed out her window at Gotham City. She could see the drug dealers and the homeless men in the street below her. What Batman had said to her the night before echoed in her mind. She didn't have to live this life. Yes, the deck was stacked against her, as it had always been, but Selina had a choice. She could take back control of her life. Selina was sick and tired of just getting by. She wanted more. She thought of all Batman had accomplished. The power of one man. If he could fight the crime rampant in Gotham surely _she _could save _herself_. She could leave Gotham and start over somewhere else.

Enough of this moping about, she thought. Her life was changing. Today. She threw on a tank top and walked into the kitchen, searching for a phonebook. Selina Kyle was determined to rise out of the darkness.

About a week later Selina arrived home, drenched in sweat, to find Jen lounging on the sofa.

"Hey, Selina, come sit down for a minute, we haven't chatted for ages!" Jen patted the seat next to her invitingly. Selina dropped her purse and sat down on their meagre couch. It was true, in the last week Jen and Selina had hardly seen each other. Their schedules were different and anyways Selina kept to herself a lot. "So, what have you been up to? You look like you just got back from the gym."

"Do I look that bad?" Selina asked as she arched as eyebrow.

"No, but you smell pretty rank." Jen scrunched up her nose, but she couldn't stop a giggle from escaping. Selina laughed, "Well I wasn't exactly at the gym. I've started taking kick boxing and gymnastics classes."

"Oh, that's cool. But why now? I mean, I've known you for almost a year and you've never done anything more than go for a jog once in a while." Selina shrugged as she went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. "I just want to be able to take care of myself. Plus all the fit men hang out there." Jen sighed, "I wish Rob was in better shape." Rob was in the mafia and Jen was one of his girlfriends. It was definitely not a relationship Selina envied, but he paid Jen's bills and kept her off the streets.

Selina walked back into the living room and leaned against the wall. "I've been thinking of making a move, Jen. I need a change."

"Well, Rob _is_ always talking about how we need to get out of this dump and move into another neighborhood, but…"

"No, Jen, I meant I need to get out of Gotham. There's nothing for me here…I need to start over. I have to do it for myself."

"You can't run away from your past, Selina. Why couldn't you get a real job? It would be easier to stay here than go somewhere else."

Selina arched her eyebrow again, "With my kind of record I couldn't even get a job flipping burgers." Selina had been caught for prostitution and minor theft enough times that no business would ever hire her.

"Oh, I guess you're right…" The two girls sat together on the couch staring at their coffee table made up of cartons and a slab of wood on top. Selina would have to leave the country if she wanted to escape from her criminal record. But it was the only way she could see out from this existence. Leaving Gotham was her only chance at a normal life.

Suddenly Jen jumped up as she thought of something. Selina looked at her wondering if she had finally lost her sanity. Jen sat down when she saw the look and quickly regained her composure. "I overheard Rob the other day…"

"You mean you were eavesdropping?"

"What's the difference, Selina? He goes in the bathroom and flushes the toilet, but I can still hear every word he says."

Selina smirked, "Yes, from your prime position just outside the door." Jen was an insatiable gossip and she prided herself on always knowing the inside scoop. Luckily, Rob didn't know this about her otherwise she would've been dumped a long time ago.

"Anyways," Jen continued, "he was telling someone that he knew a guy who could wipe his record clean. For a price, of course."

"What price?"  
"I don't know, he didn't say," Jen looked around their Spartan apartment, "but I'm sure it's a lot."

"Is there anyway Rob could arrange a meet between me and this guy?"

"Maybe. But there's no way you could afford it, that kind of thing would cost thousands of dollars!"

Selina nodded, "Yes, but it would be worth it." If she could have her criminal record wiped clean then Selina could get a normal job and have the life she craved. "Don't worry about the money, Jen," Selina grinned, "I'll figure something out."

* * *

So that's the second chapter, reviews are much appreciated. If you think something's not working just PM me and I'll try to change it. And I just wanted to say that this is Catwoman's story and Bane will be showing up eventually but my main goal is to follow Selina. She has her own arc and when he comes along I promise it will be juicy. I hope you'll stick along for the ride.


	3. Chapter 3

The bleak Gotham City landscape quickly rushed past Selina in a dark blur. The city always looked dark, it didn't matter whether it was night or day. Selina wasn't sure if that was simply a fact or if it was just her skewed perception.

"Darling, have I told you how absolutely gorgeous you look tonight?"

"Oh, maybe once or twice," Selina said as she examined her fingernails. This was one ride that could not end soon enough. She hated being cramped into small, confined spaces and she especially hated that she had to share it with this mouth breather. The things a girl had to do in order to get out of this miserable life. It didn't matter that she was sitting in one of the most expensive cars in Gotham City, an Aston Martin One-77. Although she had to admit it was an impressive car, with only 77 units made.

"You haven't told me how you like the Aston?" her companion asked her as he slid his hand up and down her bare thigh. She should have worn something a little longer.

"It's beautiful," she said as she tried to ignore his caress. She should probably be used to this kind of thing by now, but she always felt a chill of disgust. Selina believed that was a good thing though. She hadn't lost her humanity yet, like some of the other girls she knew.

Her date tonight was Bud Haydon, a prominent politician. He had oily black hair and a couple chins. Bud probably made his fortune from blackmail and bribery rather than from his 'duty to the people.' He was the kind of two-faced bastard that got under Selina's skin. In his public persona Bud was a family man who wanted to clean up the streets of Gotham for the betterment of its citizens. But in reality Bud amassed a vast fortune off of Gotham's crime and inequity. And he was also the kind of man that hired a high class escort while his wife was out of town. Selina knew all of this because she had planned this night very carefully. Bud Haydon and his fortune were the keys to her new life.

Finally Bud pulled up to his apartment complex. He gave the keys to the building's valet and Selina stood by while he gave very specific instructions of how to park the car. Oh God, Selina thought, the valet may be broke, but that didn't make him an idiot.

"Let's go have some champagne, Sugar," Bud said as he guided Selina into the building with his hand on her ass. He certainly wasn't subtle. The various staff that they passed all nodded and smiled. They all knew what was going on. Selina felt sorry for the wife who was probably the only clueless one in the whole building. During the elevator ride Selina started to feel nervous. She had never robbed anyone like this before, what if she was caught? Of course Selina had swiped a wallet here and there. But she had never attempted to steal this much. Selina felt she had to do it, this was the only way she could get enough money to wipe her record. Little did Bud know that while he was whispering vulgar and crude things into Selina's ear, Selina was preparing to rob him. She didn't feel guilty, he deserved it as far as she was concerned. She was frightened.

The elevator came to a stop and she followed Bud down the hall. It was quite a nice building. Selina wondered if everyone in the building was like Bud Haydon. Did they all accept bribery and bring home hookers? Jen would probably know, she thought to herself with a smirk. Bud ushered her into the apartment. She looked around and admired the modern décor. Although there were too many windows for Selina's taste and she detested all of the white. She always preferred everything in black.

"Now then, Sugar, where shall we begin?" Bud asked as he drew close to Selina.

"How about a tour of the bedroom?" Selina practically purred as she liked her lips.

"Certainly," Bud replied as he nearly ran to the bedroom. Sometimes men were just too predictable. Selina followed at her own leisurely pace, looking around the apartment as she went. Since there was no office the safe had to be in the bedroom. When she arrived in the bedroom Selina made a big show of looking all around and teasingly escaping Bud's grasp.

"Why do you have to tease me so?" He said as he finally got a hold of Selina.

"Where's that champagne you promised me?" She asked coyly.

Bud laughed, "I'm all for foreplay, honey, but I think I've waited long enough." He reached for the strap of her dress.

"But you promised," she pouted. Selina hated having to act like this. But it was an easy way to manipulate men like Bud Haydon.

Bud sighed, but pulled her strap back up, "The girl gets what the girl wants. Anyways it's the best champagne in Gotham," could the man stop bragging for even a minute? Hell, he probably bragged during sex! That was something Selina did not want to find out. "I'll just be a few minutes," he said as he backed out of the room. As soon as he was out of sight Selina wrenched open the closet door. There it was, the safe, right in plain sight. Bud probably thought that he was too good to get robbed. Soon he'd find out that he was just like everyone else. Selina shut the closet just before Bud came back into the room brandishing two glasses filled to the brim.

"I was admiring that painting you have there," she pointed as she took one of the glasses, "Who's the artist?" Bud turned to look and that's when she struck him. She punched him in the side of the head and he fell right away.

"You bit-" Bud slurred, but she didn't let up her attack for an instant. She was lucky he was old and flabby because she might not have fared so well against another man. By the third or fourth punch he was definitely unconscious. Selina checked his pulse. She had only a few minutes before he woke up.

Selina searched the dresser frantically. She riffled through all the makeup and various knick knacks as quickly as she could. "Bingo," she said as she opened a picture frame and found the code to the safe written inside. She had been counting on Bud's idiocy and he didn't disappoint her. She grabbed onto Bud. He had fallen near the closet, so she didn't have to drag him far. She placed his finger on the fingerprint scanner then entered the code. The door opened with a ping. She rolled Bud closer to the bed and reached inside her purse. She placed his arms around the leg of the bed and handcuffed them together. She also slapped some duct tape onto his mouth. That should keep him busy long enough for her to rob him and get out of there.

The purse Selina had brought with her was small, so she grabbed a larger one out of the closet that belonged to Mrs. Haydon. It was white unfortunately, but it would serve its purpose. Finally Selina peered into the safe and was a little underwhelmed. She had been hoping for piles of cash and diamonds. Instead she saw one wad of cash that probably equaled five thousand dollars and one ruby necklace. If she was Mrs. Haydon she would beat the shit out of her husband. He had millions of dollars, he cheated on her, and all she had to show for it was one necklace? Selina pondered how much that painting was worth as she scooped up the money and jewels into her new purse. And then she saw the second set of keys to that Aston Martin she had been riding in just moments ago. Selina laughed, "Oh Bud, say goodbye to your precious baby." She grabbed the keys and took out her cell as she walked down the hall.

Selina found the number she was looking for and she talked as she walked towards the staircase. "Hey, Jacob? I just got my hands on a sweet girl that you are going to love…no, she's of the metal variety…so you can fence it? Good, I'll be there in half an hour." Being a prostitute had a few perks, namely that she knew people from all walks of life. Jacob made his living off of selling stolen vehicles. He would pay her a substantial sum as soon as she dropped off the car. As Selina entered the stairwell she hung up the phone and kicked off her heels. She then dashed down the stairs as fast as possible, practically throwing herself down a few flights. Shit, she heard sirens in the distance. Bud might have chewed through that tape already. Oh well, there was no stopping now.

Selina opened the door to the parking garage and walked through like she owned the place. The garage was small, so it didn't take her long to find the Aston Martin. As she neared the car a guard yelled at her, "Stop! Mr. Haydon said-" Selina threw her bolas at him. The bolas wrapped around his legs and knocked him down before he knew what had hit him. His head bounced off the cement and he was knocked unconscious.

Selina jumped into the Aston Martin and revved the engine. This car was a whole lot nicer without Bud in it. She drove out of the lot and hit the street. Selina laughed. Fuck you, Bud, and your lecherous hands. She felt exhilarated like never before. _She_ was in control, not Bud and certainly not anyone else in Gotham City. Selina sped up as she saw a police car coming towards her. She could see a bristly moustache on one of the cops and figured it must have been Jim Gordon. For a cop, Jim was nice. He had cut her some slack once or twice. But as she flew by Selina laughed and flipped him the finger. There was no way they could catch up to her. She was nearly there. All she had to do was drop the car off at Jacob's garage and then she would have enough money to wipe her pesky criminal record clean.


	4. Chapter 4

Selina woke up from her catnap with a jolt as she saw the Joker's face hovering before her. His dark, feverish eyes and maniacal grin were enough to scare anyone. She panicked for a second as her heart threatened to leap out of her chest. But then her blurry eyes regained their focus and she realized he was just on the evening news. A regular occurrence in Gotham these days. Selina stretched out and cuddled back into the couch as she tried to catch up on the Joker's latest antics. She had spent the night on the couch because she had been too exhausted to drag herself into her bedroom when she had arrived home.

On GCN they were giving a run-down of the Joker's latest tricks. A few days ago the Joker had kidnapped Rachel Dawes and District Attorney, Harvey Dent. Rachel was dead and Dent was still missing. Selina felt sorry for Rachel, sorry for anyone caught up in the Joker's schemes. It sounded like the DA's assistant was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Harvey Dent on the other hand… he could rot in a hole for all Selina cared. Dent was determined to make life miserable for Gotham's criminals and since Selina herself fell within that category, she wasn't too fond of Gotham's White Knight. Although she had to admit, she admired the man's drive and optimism for Gotham's future. Dent was a one man army fighting to change Gotham's very heart and soul. It was a suicide mission, Selina didn't believe it was possible to redeem Gotham. Batman couldn't do it and as the Joker was proving, neither could Harvey Dent.

Selina finally rose from the sofa and wandered over to Jen's door. She knocked a few times, but there was no answer. Not that she'd been expecting one. Selina sighed, Jen was probably still over at Rob's place. Selina strolled into the kitchen to make herself some coffee, all the while listening to the Joker threatening Gotham once again.

While Selina waited for the pot to brew she texted Jen. Still no answer. Now she was starting to worry. After she had gotten her money from Jacob the night before, Selina had come home and given Jen part of it. Jen was supposed to go give the money to Rob who would then give it to the Maroni family's government connection. Everyone involved in the deal would make a small profit and Selina would get her record wiped clean. Selina had tried to meet with the man who would wipe her record clean directly, but it was impossible. He wanted to remain anonymous and would only deal with the Maronis. Selina didn't like the arrangement, but she didn't have any other options. She especially didn't like it now that Jen still wasn't home.

The coffee was done just as Selina heard the Joker on the TV saying, "If Colman Reese isn't dead in sixty minutes then I blow up a hospital." Selina laughed as she walked back into the living room and saw Reese looking like he was going to shit his pants. The poor thing had thought he could play with the big boys.

"It doesn't get much worse than blowing up a hospital," Selina said to herself as she shook her head, "the Joker's something else." Just then Jen walked through the door. The girl looked a dishevelled mess. Her blonde hair was in disarray, her makeup was smudged, and black mascara tears ran down her face. She also had the beginnings of a black eye and bruising on her throat. The second Jen saw Selina she burst into tears.

"Oh my God, Jen, who did this to you? I've been trying to get a hold of you all day!" Selina said as she guided Jen onto the sofa. Jen continued to sob with her head in her hands. Selina didn't know what to do. She was uncomfortable with crying, she hardly ever did it herself. Instead of holding Jen or soothing her, Selina went into the kitchen and brought her a glass of water. That was comforting, right? By the time Selina came back into the living room, Jen had composed herself somewhat. Selina sat down beside her and muted the television. The Joker wasn't quite so frightening when you couldn't hear his voice.

"So, what the hell happened?" Selina's stomach was in knots because she knew somehow that this all had something to do with her. It was like a white heat rushing through her. She wanted to avoid the situation all together, but she knew she had to face it.

"I'm so sorry, Selina, I-" Jen broke off as she stared down into her hands. She continued, "When I first told Rob that you wanted to get your record cleaned he… he was so mad at me. Mad 'cause I was listening in on him and mad because I had told an outsider about Maroni family business." Jen bit her lip to stop the tears from flowing. Selina felt her fists clenching in rage. She stuffed them under her armpits. She wasn't sure who she was angrier with Jen, Rob, or herself. Selina knew she shouldn't have trusted Rob; mafia were scum. Jen began talking again and Selina forced herself to focus, "He said he would kill me if I didn't bring him the money. What was I supposed to do? The Maronis basically run Gotham! And even when I brought him the money he almost choked me…" Jen desperately grabbed hold of Selina's hand, "I'm so sorry I lied to you. I-I-I can't believe I lost all your money." Jen looked deep in Selina's eyes, "Can you forgive me? Please?"

Selina stood up, "I don't know." She looked down at Jen, who seemed so pathetic. She looked like a little girl. And that's what she was. She just got caught up with the wrong people. But could Selina forgive her? Could she forgive _herself_ for getting Jen involved in all this? Selina's world was so dark and ugly, all she had wanted was to escape. But there was no escaping this. There was no escaping herself.

Selina went into her room and threw on some jeans and a leather jacket. When she came out Jen was still slumped on the couch, defeated. "I have to get out of here," Selina said as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

The sun was setting as Selina hit the street. She walked in no particular direction. Her only goal was to put as much distance between herself and her life as she possibly could. Then Rob flashed through her mind. The bastard, ripping her off hundreds of thousands of dollars. She should go find him and rip his balls off. Then feed them to him. She sighed. It was useless. Even if she somehow managed to get Rob there would just be another Maroni around the corner waiting for her. Selina and Jen were lucky to still have their lives after all of this.

Selina felt a dark chasm opening inside of herself. It all seemed so hopeless. She didn't know how to go on. Over the last few weeks she had felt hope, something she had never felt before. It wasn't just the possibility of starting over again, it was also what the Batman had said. How he had made her feel. For that brief moment he had made her feel valuable and capable of being a better woman. But he was wrong wasn't he? Here she was, a prostitute tangled up with the mob. There were no more options left to her.

Selina looked up to the sky and what she saw there made her smile a little. The Bat signal was glowing in the Gotham night sky. A light in the darkness. As long as Batman kept fighting for justice why couldn't she fight for a better life? Suddenly a motorcycle whizzed past Selina, splashing her with puddle water. "Asshole!" In the life of Selina Kyle things could always get worse. But then an idea struck her. She still had some money left over from the Haydon robbery. Why not have some fun and live a little? Maybe she wouldn't eat tomorrow, but she deserved a reward after all the shit she'd been through.

* * *

It was late when Selina found herself climbing the stairs up to her apartment. She felt better about everything now. Maybe the thrill from buying her first motorcycle still hadn't worn off. Jacob had been able to give her a deal on the Ducati. It was a beautiful black beauty. Now to get some sleep. She went up to her apartment and checked on Jen. Fortunately the girl had managed not to kill herself. Although judging by the tub left on the counter she _had _managed to eat all of their ice cream.

Before heading to bed Selina decided to check out GCN for the latest news on the Joker. Selina sat alone in the dark with the glow of the television illuminating her face. The banner at the bottom of the screen said in big bold letters "Harvey Dent found dead!" Seriously was anyone really shocked by that? Dent had pissed off not only the mob but he was also a target of the Joker. It was going to happen sooner or later. But then she saw Jim Gordon come on the screen. He was saying Batman had killed Harvey Dent. But that was impossible! Batman never killed anyone… but apparently he had.

Selina got up and looked out the window onto the fire escape where she had last seen Batman. She tried to reconcile the man she had been saved by that night with the man accused of murdering Gotham's White Knight. Selina began to cry. There was no way she could supress it. All this time she had clung to what Batman had told her. And it was all a lie. He was no hero, he was a villain. Everyone in Gotham was a villain, Rob, Bud, Jen, the Joker, Batman… herself. Selina couldn't lie to herself any longer. She was never going to live a normal life or be happy. All she had ever done was cause destruction, just look at Jen. Selina was an orphan, why did she think she could get away from her past.

Selina didn't know where to go from here. No matter how hard she tried to get out Gotham always pulled her back in. She thought of her Ducati and the thrill riding it gave her. And that reminded her of the exhilaration she felt robbing Bud Haydon.

She went to her room and started packing a bag. She grabbed things that she considered essentials, like her favorite pair of jeans and her fanciest bra. Selina then slung the backpack onto her back and looked around. She wouldn't miss this place. Too many bad memories. She left a wad of cash in the kitchen for Jen then she headed out. She straddled her Ducati and took off.

Selina picked herself up again, as she always did. Since everyone in Gotham was a villain she would show them she was the biggest villain of them all. She'd get her revenge on the Maronis. And if she ever found out who the man was behind the Bat… she'd break his spirit just like he had broken hers.

* * *

This chapter ended up being a little longer than I had planned. Please read and review, it helps keep me going. And next chapter… Bane!


	5. Chapter 5

Eight years later, Gotham City was pure on the surface, but its foundations were still as rotten as ever. The Harvey Dent Act allowed criminals to be imprisoned with no chance of parole. This kept most of the low and mid-level crooks off the streets, but the big fish were still around. They just had to be more careful and secretive than ever before. The poor were still poor and the rich were still rich only the gap between the two was widening more every day.

Selina knew all this. She was one of the few criminals who had been able to thrive since the death of Harvey Dent. She had embraced her darkest desires and she was in a better position than she had ever been. It was all relative though. Now she had financial stability and the freedom to do as she pleased. But there was something more that she was still missing. She just couldn't quite put her tongue on it.

Tonight Selina wasn't concerned with her past or her future. All she cared about was her present. And that meant figuring out the best way to sneak into Roland Daggett's mansion. She didn't make a sound as she crept along the cobblestones in the garden. Selina wasn't sure who she liked robbing better, mobsters, politicians, or businessmen like Daggett. Selina had a personal vendetta against the mob, but the other two were just pure fun. No matter how rich or elite you were Selina could still bring you down a notch or two.

As the full moon looked down on her Selina crouched behind a bush. She craned her neck around and slipped on her goggles as she surveyed the building. She had made a handsome fortune over the years, so Selina could afford all the latest gadgets. She was dressed in a black cat-suit that had the appearance of leather, but was actually very flexible. There was a zipper down the front that Selina left slightly open, allowing any man who saw her to be distracted by her cleavage. She might as well use every weapon at her disposal. She also wore a choker necklace, similar to a collar, and a hood with ears. Selina was the best cat burglar Gotham had ever seen and she embraced the nickname given to her by the media, The Catwoman. She hadn't yet found anything that she could not get away with stealing.

The goggles Selina had slipped on had both a night vision setting and an infrared setting. Right now she used the infrared to get a general idea of where everyone was in the building. The red blobs that indicated people were all on the far side. For now she was in the clear. Selina slipped the goggles up as she approached the building's facade. There would be alarms all along the ground floor so that wasn't an option. But there wasn't likely to be nearly as much security up on the third floor.

Using a combination of her whip and her athletic skills Selina jumped and climbed from window to balcony until she reached the third floor. On the balcony Selina was able to pick the lock within thirty seconds and then she was in the building. This is almost too easy, she thought to herself as she observed that there was still no one near her. The room with Daggett's safe was just around the corner and to the left.

Selina waltzed down the corridor, confident of her success, and entered Daggett's office. Daggett's home was a mixture of modern and antique furniture, but it all spoke of high class. He was a man of wealth and he liked to show it off. Daggett's large oak desk was along the right hand wall and to the left were a small sitting area and a fire place. Directly ahead was a large cabinet along the back wall. Selina began by inspecting the cabinet. It was filled with files and papers. She searched and searched until she found the secret compartment that hid the safe.

"Oh, Daggett, you could at least have _tried_ to be a challenge," Selina whispered to herself. She readied her cryptographer. It was a handy little device that was capable of breaking almost any code. She had used it many times when she had broken into Gotham's museum. Daggett's safe didn't stand a chance.

"So, the kitten thinks she has got the cream."

The voice startled Selina, it was unlike anything she had ever heard. It was as though the person talking to her was speaking through some sort of distortion. It sent chills down her spine, but she forced her voice to be calm as she said, "Honey, I'm all woman." She slowly stood up and turned to face the intruder. Her eyes widened imperceptibly. Bane. She had heard whisperings of a large, muscular man who wore a muzzle-like mask. He lived in Gotham's sewers recruiting followers, but no one knew why. "Bane, born and raised in Hell on earth?" Selina laughed, "Aren't we all." She couldn't stop herself from staring at his mask. It was frightening, but also fascinating. What were all those strange tubes for? And then once Selina got past the mask she looked into his eyes. The mask hid the majority of his face, and his expression, but his eyes made up for it. The chaos swirling there startled her, so she shifted her focus back to the mask.

"Yes, Gotham is Hell for many," he slowly and deliberately began walking towards her. Selina watched his every movement as she waited to make her escape. Bane walked with an animal like grace, a tiger nearing its prey. He had his hands hooked into his vest as though he were holding on to suspenders. She could see the muscles in his arms and shoulders rippling. Selina hated to admit it, but she was attracted to him. But that didn't matter right now. She had to get out of there.

"Then why the fuck are you here?" Selina said as she grabbed her whip and flung it at him. She wanted to wrap the end around his legs to bring him down, but Bane was faster than she had anticipated. Instead Bane yanked the whip's tail and Selina fell face first on the ground.

"You think you know darkness. But I…. have been in much darker places than you, Kitten," Bane said as he reached for her. She snarled flexing her hands as claws extended from her gloves. She swiped at his face, leaving a few scratch marks near his eye, and ran for the door. He grasped her foot and pulled her back. Bane clutched her neck and slammed her into the floor. He kneeled over her, his knee on one side of her and his foot on the other. The single hand on her neck began tightening its grip. His face loomed inches above hers. From here the tubes in his mask looked like fangs. She kept expecting them to drip venom.

"Do you want to go there? Do you want to see the darkness that I have seen, that I was born into?" Selina couldn't breathe. "Maybe then your despair, your anger, your hatred, will be justifiable. Or," he squeezed applying even more pressure to her neck. She felt as though her eyes were going to burst out of their sockets. "Should I kill you now?" His eyes never left her eyes. She tried clawing at his hand, but it was no use. His hand was steel around her neck. "No, you would enjoy that too much. There is no respite from this life of ours, from this darkness that consumes us both." Tears flowed down her face, wetting his hand at her neck. Selina wondered if he felt it, if he ever felt anything.

"Or I could throw you to the mob. They at least would torture you first, like they did to her," He whispered the last part and broke his gaze away from hers for the first time. When Bane looked back at her she thought for a moment there was a hint of sadness or pity in them. "No, you don't know darkness, my Kitten. But if you don't do as I say, you will." He finally released the pressure from her neck. She gasped at the air like a fish out of water. The red hot pain slowly ebbed, but his hand was still there lying gently atop her chest. It would only take an instant for him to crush her.

"So? Will you play with me Kitten? Or shall I declaw you?"

All Selina could do was fervently nod her head.

"Good," he stood up and looked down on her. She slowly rolled over onto her knees. She felt as though she couldn't get enough air.

Bane circled her, again at a very slow pace. "You will obtain Bruce Wayne's fingerprints for me."

She looked up at him, still on her hands and knees, "His fingerprints? What do you need those for?" Her voice was raspy and it hurt to speak. Suddenly she became aware of what exactly her head was level with. She stood up quickly, too quickly. But she didn't fall down. Selina didn't want Bane to get any more satisfaction from her.

Silence. The two stood level with one another. Bane ignored her question. In that moment Selina hated the smug bastard. She didn't like that he had her backed into a corner. And she certainly didn't like being attracted to him and wanting to kiss him, mask or no mask. Selina slapped him in the face. Well, mostly she hit his mask, but she managed to make some skin on skin contact. And it still made a satisfying smacking sound.

"Don't ever touch me that way again," she said as she walked away. As she strode out of the room all Selina could hear was Bane's twisted laughter echoing behind her.

* * *

This chapter took me longer to write so sorry for any delay. Bane was difficult at first, but after I saw TDKR for a second time suddenly everything seemed to come together. I want to thank everyone for their reviews and everyone who is following the story. You keep me going, so thanks again! And some of my inspiration for Bane and Catwoman's relationship comes from Lady Gaga's album The Fame Monster, particularly Bad Romance and Monster.


	6. Chapter 6

"Quickly, darling, take these crab cakes out will ya? And make sure not to drop them, we don't need another mess on our hands," Alfred said as he glanced at one of the other servers. She had spilt celery soup all over a man's Armani suit. The guy was still in the bathroom trying to wipe it off all the while threatening to sue Bruce Wayne for damages.

"Yes, sir," Selina said as she took the tray from Alfred. She liked the old guy despite having known him for only the last couple of hours. He had a posh accent and wore a ratty old cardigan over his black suit. He seemed kind even though he was currently running the busy kitchen like it was a military operation.

Tonight the Wayne Foundation was holding a banquet to commemorate Harvey Dent day. All of Gotham's wealthy politicians and business men were here with their wives. There was no better place to be tonight. Unless of course you were a server at this heinous event, Selina thought. Selina had to snag Bruce Wayne's fingerprints quickly so here she was at Wayne Manor on its busiest day of the year. She had paid Maria MacAlister triple her wages in order to assume her place as a server at tonight's event. Selina (or Maria as Alfred knew her) was biding her time hustling crab cakes as she waited for an opportunity to sneak into Bruce Wayne's wing.

She slipped through the servers' door out into the crisp night air. She planted a smile on her face as she maneuvered through the crowd of people listening to Jim Gordon's speech. Selina didn't have to listen closely to know that he was yakking on about how great a man Harvey was and blah, blah, blah. The dribble said at these events was all the same, just a bunch of glorified ass kissing. Selina should know, she'd snuck into enough of them. Maybe she'd treat herself to a new necklace while she was here.

"Ma'am, would you like some crab cakes?" Selina said softly to a woman with her nose in the air and diamonds on her ears. The woman grabbed one and delicately nibbled on the hors d'oeuvre. Selina smiled on the outside, but inside she was rolling her eyes. These people were all the same with their greedy little fingers reaching for every morsel. It disgusted Selina to serve these people and act as though they were the Gods of Gotham especially when there were so many people that went without.

When Selina had finally pawned all the crab cakes off on the guests she made her way back to the kitchen. As she set the tray down on the counter Selina observed Alfred speaking in a hushed tone to one of the other servers. He was waving a key around and gesturing to a covered dish. The server's brow was crinkled in irritation. She was not looking forward to following Alfred's orders.

Unobserved, Selina slipped into the hallway. She paced up and down awaiting her opportunity. Surely enough, the server Alfred had been talking to soon appeared with the tray in one hand and the key in the other. Selina immediately rushed over saying, "Oh, thank God!" She took the tray and the key from the girl as she said, "The Armani suit is being a real pain in the ass. Now he wants to know if we have some Oxyclean or something and I have no idea where that is, can you handle it?" Before Selina had finished the girl was already off in search of something to make the guy shut up.

Selina quickly, but quietly made her way up the staircase to the wing where Bruce Wayne had locked himself up. She had studied the floor plans to the first incarnation of Wayne Manor and since this second one was identical she knew exactly where she was going. The Manor had only been built a few years ago. Even though it tried to look old it still had that fresh, new smell to it. Despite the fact that Bruce Wayne hadn't been seen for years people still gossiped about him. They said he had long fingernails, a hunched back, and hair down to his knees. Selina didn't care to find out the truth, she just wanted his finger prints and then to get out of there. Ok, she was a_ little _curious about Bruce Wayne. She could probably get a nice chunk of change for a picture of him. But money wasn't her problem right now, Bane was.

Selina reached the door and slipped the key into the lock. She turned it very slowly, but she needn't have. The lock was well oiled and the key didn't make a sound. She opened the door and crept in. The whole suite was saturated in darkness but for a single lamp shining down the hall. Selina walked towards the light and looked around the room. All of the furniture was covered in sheets as though the owner had just died. And in a way Selina supposed he had. The playboy billionaire Gotham had always known was dead. Now a recluse lived here.

She set the tray down on a circular table designated for this purpose. All was silent. The air was stale. It was hard to believe anyone actually lived here. Selina peered into the room on her left. Bruce wasn't in there so she entered. The room was illuminated by the moonlight shining through the windows. Selina could see more covered furniture. She lifted a few of the sheets and looked at the expensive furniture underneath. She wondered what it would be like to lay on the creamy leather and count the billions in your bank account. If she ever met Bruce maybe she'd ask him.

Selina's eye was caught by the only piece of furniture that did not have a sheet over it. It was a small dresser with a few picture frames as adornments. Selina held the pictures up to the moonlight. One photo was of a happy couple, presumably Bruce's parents. It had been torn apart and then put back together. The other photo had a face that took Selina a minute to recognize. She had seen the face on the evening news a few times. It was Rachel Dawes smiling past the camera. Selina quickly put down the pictures. A lump had formed in her throat and she felt ashamed. She hadn't meant to intrude in Bruce Wayne's personal life. She had only wanted his fingerprints, but curiosity had overwhelmed her.

Selina bent down and opened the dresser's cupboard as she tried to forget Rachel's face. There was Bruce Wayne's safe, nestled away in plain sight. His safe was the best and most reliable place in all of Wayne Manor to get Bruce's prints. Selina extracted from her pocket a packet of powder, a small brush, and some tape. She had never had to obtain fingerprints before. She'd only ever stolen material objects and money, not someone's identity. Selina worked away brushing powder where she assumed Bruce's fingers may have touched the safe. She then used the tape to pick up the prints.

When she had accomplished her objective Selina stared at the safe. Then she looked behind her and all around. Still no sign of Wayne. She shrugged her shoulders. Now that she had gotten what Bane wanted she might as well treat herself to something. It's not like Bane was going to pay her for her efforts. Using her cryptographer Selina cracked the safe. Inside she found a pile of legal documents that were useless to her and a necklace. The necklace was big creamy pearls all strung together. They weren't really Selina's style, but she did like how they seemed to glow in the light. Satisfied with everything she slipped the necklace on and closed the safe. Bruce Wayne would never even know she had been here.

Selina turned to leave and that's when she saw him. Bruce Wayne. She wondered how long he had been standing there. He didn't look alarmed just perplexed.

She smiled at him, "Well you don't have the long fingernails or the facial scars." He looked old for his age but he wasn't nearly as decrepit as everyone made him out to be. Fine lines crinkled his face around his eyes and mouth and along his forehead. Bruce leaned heavily on a cane. His hair and his beard were unruly. If you saw him on the street he could easily pass as a homeless man. It was hard to believe someone once so young and handsome now looked like this.

"Is that what they say about me?" Bruce cocked his head to the side as he studied her. She was very attractive with her big lips and big eyes. There was something about those green eyes of hers that seemed so familiar. She quirked an eyebrow at him. Bruce realized he had been staring at her. He hadn't spoken to anyone but Alfred for a long time and it seemed he didn't know how to socialize anymore.

Bruce coughed as he approached her, trying to mask his insecurity. "That's a beautiful necklace," he said as it dawned on him what she was doing there. Selina side stepped out of his way, always maintaining a distance between them. "Funny, my mother had one just like it," he said as he bent down and opened his safe. It was empty.

Suddenly it was a standoff between the two, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Selina walked up to him, placing her arm around his neck. He wondered what game she was playing. As they stared into each other's eyes a brief memory flickered through Bruce's mind. Years ago, on a fire escape he remembered seeing those mesmerizing eyes and lips. They were no different now, but her hair was longer and there was a hint of steel in her eyes. She had held him in a similar manner then as she did now. Selina was oblivious of their connection. Bruce saw her lips moving and forced himself to focus.

"Well, Mr. Wayne, we both know you wouldn't beat up a woman, any more than I would beat up a cripple," Selina said as she kicked his cane out from under him and shoved him down to the ground. She really did feel sorry about that. A little. "But exceptions have to be made." He stared at her, helpless, as she walked over to the window. He couldn't believe this was happening to him, a woman, a maid, stealing from him right before his eyes. Who the hell did she think she was?

Selina looked back at him, "Oh, how the mighty have fallen," She blew him a kiss and leapt out the window.

Bruce was still lying on the floor staring at the ceiling when Alfred found him. "Bloody hell, sir, what happened?" Alfred said as he helped him up. Bruce used to be the Batman and now look at him. But Selina had ignited something in him, a fire that he thought had been extinguished long ago.

* * *

Sorry that this chapter follows the movie so closely, but I couldn't think of any other way to do it. I promise the other chapters won't be the same. Some of the lines are taken directly from the movie and of course I do not own any of the characters, they belong to DC. I might play with the point of view a bit more in the next couple of chapters. Something from Bruce's POV and Gordon's and maybe even Bane's later on. Thanks as always for following and reviewing. Sweet-taboos' review was particularly wonderful.


	7. Chapter 7

Selina walked, as fast as she could without running, through Wayne Manor's gardens. She ripped off the white adornments on her dress until she no longer looked like a maid and was simply a woman at the party. The night was nearing its end as all the speeches were now done and everyone was on their way to getting thoroughly drunk on the bubbly champagne. Selina deposited her trash behind a bush and snuck into part of the garden that was not in use.

The moon shone down on the garden and all the plants covered in dew seemed to glitter. Selina thought of Bruce and wondered if he was still lying on the floor with that dumb look on his face. She smiled to herself. She'd have to thank Bane for the amusing night. Seeing Bruce Wayne helpless, with his mouth gaping open in shock, was priceless. She looked back at the Manor. From what she could see the mansion was mostly dark except for a few windows lit up in the east wing. A part of her felt sorry for Bruce. He was so alone despite having every material thing at his disposal. Her hand fell on her new pearls, stroking them. Selina felt guilty and ashamed of them. She nearly tore them off. His dead mother's pearls. Selina must have stolen hundreds of sentimental things in her lifetime. Why should she care now?

She turned away from any regret she felt and continued on her walk until she reached the fence surrounding the Wayne property. Selina carefully hauled herself over, but not without tearing her dress. It didn't matter, she didn't plan on wearing this matronly thing ever again. Selina slipped off her shoes and walked along a little further. She liked the feeling of the grass between her toes. Eventually she found her motorcycle where she had left it behind a tree. She rummaged through her backpack and made a quick change into her cat-suit. She didn't hesitate as she threw her maid's outfit far way into some nearby bushes. Good riddance. She left the pearl necklace on even though it clashed terribly with her outfit. Pearls and leather she thought with a laugh. But she didn't want to lose it. Selina reached back into her backpack but paused as her hand wrapped around cold, hard metal. She sighed as she withdrew the gun. It was a small silver pistol that fit her palm perfectly. The gun was custom made and was encoded to only work in her hand. She quickly hid it in her belt. She had never had to use a gun before, but where she was going she just might need it.

That thought made her stop as she straddled her bike and put on her helmet. Where was she going anyways? Selina had an appointment to meet with Daggett when the job was done. He was appointed as the middle man between her and Bane. She would give Daggett the fingerprints and in turn he would give them to Bane. But Selina knew from the past that deals like this rarely turned out the way they were meant to. She didn't like Daggett. His beady little eyes reminded her of a rat. He was loyal to himself above everyone else and there was no way she was getting screwed over. Especially if Bane was involved. She shivered as she remembered Bane's hand around her neck. She wouldn't be put in that position again.

She revved the engine as she made her decision. Selina would go directly to Bane. It wouldn't be too hard to find him. Everyone on the street knew he lived in the sewers in Midtown. This way she could guarantee that Bane would get Wayne's prints. And then she would be free of Bane once and for all.

* * *

Alfred tried to escort Bruce to bed but he refused. He may walk like an old man, but that didn't mean he had to go to bed early like one. He sat and just looked at the safe for a while. Bruce looked and looked at it but he never touched it. The guy who had designed it said the safe was impossible to break into. Turned out he was wrong. Bruce was tempted to go search for the guy's phone number and demand his money back. Then he noticed the light dusting of powder on part of the safe. "Sneaky little…" he said to himself. She wasn't here to steal the necklace, she had been dusting for prints! Not only did that woman (Alfred said her name was Maria MacAlister) steal the only thing he had left of his mother, but she also stole his fingerprints!

Bruce's melancholy turned to rage as he slowly stood up. The movement was painful, especially on his knees. If only he was younger, Bruce thought as he walked to his piano and played a few notes. One of the bookshelves slid aside and he stepped into an elevator. He hadn't done this in years. Only once after the Manor had been rebuilt did he come down here. Even then it was only a quick look, to see what Alfred had done with the place.

The door slid open and Bruce stepped into the bat cave. It looked the same as it always had. The waterfall still gushed and his suit was there just like it had always been. He spared only the briefest of glances at the suit. Now was not the time to linger on the past. Bruce gathered together a few tools before returning up stairs.

* * *

A little later in the night, Alfred made the descent to the bat cave looking for Bruce. He was worried about Bruce. He brooded in silence often these days, but this was different. Bruce had had a bit of a manic look in his eye ever since the theft.

"Alfred, good timing, come here a second," Bruce waved him over from the computer station. He hardly looked at Alfred, Bruce was too busy searching the computer screen. His leg was jumping up and down as though he was excited or agitated. It had been so long since Bruce had shown any emotion aside from despair that Alfred couldn't discern which.

"Sir, when was the last time you ate? You didn't have dinner…" But Bruce waved his hand at Alfred saying, "Yeah, later. But right now I need you to get my car ready."

"What?" Alfred said perplexed. He rarely disobeyed orders, but this was ludicrous. "You haven't left the grounds in years, why would you suddenly decide to leave at one in the morning? You're in no condition!" He sputtered the last part due to his haste to get the words out.

Bruce finally looked Alfred in the face, mildly shocked. Alfred had walked on eggshells around Bruce for a long time. Since Rachel's death in fact. "I'm getting back my mother's necklace Alfred, look…" Bruce pointed at one of the screens. There was a mug shot of the young maid who had committed the robbery. "It took me awhile, to find her. She's clever. She was wearing someone else's fingerprints. Anyways her name's Selina Kyle," the woman in the picture had a dead look in her eyes and her hair was very short. Alfred figured it must have been taken a few years ago. Bruce continued, "She's Gotham's most notorious thief…" Alfred finished for him, "The Catwoman." He shook his head. It was his fault, he practically welcomed her in. He'd need to start doing background checks on everyone they employed. "Her record is quite long. Theft, assault..." Prostitution. She _was _the woman Bruce had saved years ago. She'd certainly moved up in the world. Or down depending on what your perspective was. "She was an orphan, forced to live a life on the streets."

Bruce went on, pointing at another screen, "As a precaution I had a tracker placed on the necklace," the two men watched the red blip on the screen. "All I have to do is catch her before she fences it." Bruce stood up. He needed to change into something presentable before leaving the house.

"Master Wayne, take a moment to…" Bruce's knees suddenly gave out on him. He fell with a cry of anguish. Alfred hustled over saying, "Look at you, all this excitement has exhausted you." Bruce hung his head in shame. "Sir," Alfred laid a reassuring hand on Bruce's shoulder. He hated seeing him like this. Old before his time. "You retired years ago. And Gotham survived."

Bruce looked up at him, his eyes big and determined, "But…"

"There are people out there that are meant to take care of this sort of thing. The police!" Bruce looked bewildered at this. The thought hadn't occurred to him. In the past he had always handled these things himself. Alfred continued, "I'll phone the police and they'll get the necklace back for you."

Bruce reluctantly nodded his head as Alfred helped him up and over to the elevator. "On one condition," Bruce said. Alfred looked at him, puzzled. "I want Jim Gordon on the case, no one else." Alfred smiled. Bruce had always had a deep affection for Jim, as did Alfred. He was there for Bruce when Alfred couldn't be. "Sure thing, Master Wayne."


	8. Chapter 8

Selina slowed her bike to a crawl as she guided it into the alleyway. The crunch of rubble under the tire and the purr of the engine were the only sounds to be heard. The streets were dead. Selina did her best to hide the bike in the shadows of a dumpster. She scattered some caltrops in the nearby area. Anyone walking through would get a nasty surprise. The caltrops were spiked and hurt like hell when stepped on. She'd just have to be careful not to puncture the tire of her bike later.

Selina knelt down and inspected a manhole cover. As she slipped her fingers underneath and lifted it up she wondered if this was the dumbest thing she had ever done. She had no plan. And no Batman to save her. She was venturing straight into the lion's den. Hopefully she still had enough lives left to get out of the sewers alive.

She slipped her goggles on as she descended into darkness. The smell wasn't quite as bad as she had thought it would be. The air was moist and she saw a rat scuttle away. She could hear the sound of rushing water nearby, but she couldn't see it. Selina figured she must have been in a maintenance tunnel. She walked along waiting for some kind of sign. No matter how lightly she walked the sound of her boots could still be heard. She hoped the water would mask the sound.

She continued on, but still there was no sign of life down here. Maybe this was the time to go back and admit defeat. She could still catch Daggett. If she kept going on like this Killer Croc would probably eat her.

Selina came up to a junction of tunnels. They all looked the same to her. The darkness was so deep that her goggles couldn't even penetrate it. She turned around deciding to go back before she got hopelessly lost down here. This had obviously been a mistake.

Suddenly Selina felt an arm wrap around her stomach. A flashlight was shone into her face, blinding her. She managed to slip off her goggles, but the imprint of the light still burned her eyes.

"It seems I've caught a pussy cat," a man said in her ear. She tried to elbow him in the ribs, but he managed to evade the blow. Selina forced her breathing to slow down as she tried to calm herself. This asshole was probably her best chance of seeing Bane.

"What are you going to do with me, stud? I'm not exactly a submissive."

He wrenched her hands behind her back and shoved Selina along. He waved the flashlight down the tunnel, "I'd like to teach you a thing or two, bitch. But I have to leave that to Bane. So shut up and get moving." Selina wanted to turn around and slug him in the face, but instead she did as she was told.

* * *

Jim Gordon looked out the passenger window of the police cruiser wondering what the night had planned for him. He had been asleep in bed when the call came. Well, actually he had been lying there, staring up at the ceiling, his hands resting on his stomach. He was pondering what his life had become. The decisions he had made, the things he had done and hadn't done. The empty space beside him. Had it been worth it? Saving Gotham's soul at the expense of his own happiness? Daily life was difficult. At home, alone, he felt as though he was constantly moving against the tide. Jim's work came easy to him. It was everything else that he ruined. His family was now a broken home. That instant the speech he had intended to give at the Dent day celebrations was a burning brand against his chest. In his rush to get out of the house he had grabbed it along with his wallet. It served as a reminder of his cowardice. Maybe one day he would summon up the courage to face the truth. Something he couldn't do earlier tonight or eight years ago.

Jim didn't mind hearing the phone ring in the middle of the night. He didn't mind slipping on his glasses again and heading out. Now that his family had moved away work was his salvation. There was no more wife or children to disturb. He no longer had to say everything would be alright.

The call was unusual to say the least. Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred, had phoned the police reporting a robbery at the Manor. The unusual part was Mr. Wayne demanding that the Commissioner be the one to capture Catwoman and get Martha Wayne's pearl necklace back. But in Gotham eccentric billionaires got what they wanted. So here Jim was doing Wayne's biding. Jim had met Bruce once or twice. He vividly remembered when he met him for the first time. Bruce was just a boy then. And Jim was just an ordinary cop. Bruce's parents had been murdered in a robbery and it fell to Jim to comfort the young boy until the butler got to the police station. Jim would never forget the look in Bruce's eyes. It was impossible to describe the anguish and devastation there.

Jim shifted his focus to his cell phone. Apparently the signal from the tracker had gone dead. Jim told Elvis Jones, the cop driving the cruiser, where to drive to. Jim had chosen Jones and John Blake to come along tonight. Blake was just a rookie, but he had promise. He was very inquisitive and eager to learn. Tonight would be a learning experience for him. Blake reminded Jim of how he used to be. Back when he had faith in the system and justice. When would Blake realize it was all a lie? For now Gordon would do his best to be his mentor. Keep him on the path that Jim had strayed from.

Jim doubted that tonight's task would be simple. It never was with the Catwoman. There had been so many close calls, so many times when she was within a finger's grasp. Only to have her slip away. Again. There were also the times when she had been caught, but broke out. The next time she was caught, and Jim was sure there would be a next time, she would go straight to Black Gate. The men's prison had better security than the women's. Or maybe she'd even go to Arkham.

"Pull over here," Jim directed Jones. Jones obeyed and the men exited the car. Jim again looked at his cell phone then pointed to a nearby alley way, "Here." Jones led the way. Jim looked around but didn't see anything unusual and he definitely didn't see any sign of Catwoman. Jim once more looked at the map on his phone, wondering if they were in the right place, when Jones yelped.

"Aaargh!" he said as he grabbed his foot and fell on his ass. Blake hurried over to him and inspected his foot. Blake held out a spiked object to Gordon saying, "He must've stepped on this." While Blake asked Jones if he was alright and Jones reluctantly nodded yes, Jim inspected the ground. He shined his flashlight there and saw dozens of steel spikes. "Caltrops," Catwoman had been here. Jim's heart raced as he looked for another sign of her. "Blake, help me brush these out of the way." Together the two men cleared the alley.

"Well she ain't here," Blake said, "Should we keep looking?"

"It's Bruce Wayne, Goddammit, of course we're gonna keep looking. Did you think it would be that easy?" Gordon said as he tried to filter out Jones' grumbling. The tracker had gone dead… he looked down and saw the manhole cover. Of course! Trackers didn't work under ground. But that would mean… she was working with Bane. Why? What the hell would he want with Martha Wayne's necklace? Black mail? Or was he after something else…

No one in the police department, but Jim Gordon believed in Bane. They thought he was crazy. That Bane was just a gangster, a push over. But Jim had his ear closer to the street than most cops. And he knew that there was a lot more to Bane. Jim had wanted to search the tunnels, but he was denied. That made Jim wonder if there wasn't a double agent in the department, someone protecting Bane.

Well maybe now Jim could finally hunt down Bane and find out what he was really after. "Get this manhole up," Jim ordered Jones. Jim peered into the darkness and threw a flare down to light the way. Then he climbed down with Jones and Blake following him.

* * *

Originally I was going to make this chapter longer, but I decided to cut it in half. Don't worry, there will be more action and Bane next time. And as always thanks for reviewing and following.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hey everyone, I ended up revising the previous chapter to include a new character, John Blake. I was going to introduce him later but now seemed better. So I would recommend skimming chapter 8 (even though you may have already read it) before this one otherwise it might not make sense, although Blake is really the only change. Thanks for reviewing and now on with the story!

* * *

Selina was thrust into what she assumed was the epicenter of Bane's lair. As she entered the chamber she could see a waterfall flowing down through the middle. 'Waterfall' was putting it nicely since it consisted of vile sewage water. Selina could tell, even though she could only see a small fraction of the three tiered chamber, that this wasn't your average sewer. It didn't reek and there were plenty of lights scattered all around. As Selina regarded her surroundings naturally she tried to pin point all the escape routes. The only ones she could see were the waterfall (which led to God knows where) and the tunnel she had just exited.

Selina turned her attention to the corner. There was Bane in what must have been his private alcove. He was facing away from her seated by a desk, his face close down to whatever he was scribbling on. Beside the desk was a cot with only a thin sheet draped over it. The walls were littered with random scraps of paper that from a distance made no sense. But Selina was more interested in the hulking man than she was in her new found environment. She enjoyed the moment; the chance to study him without him in turn scrutinizing her. He was so huge she found it amusing to see him sitting at the desk. It was like seeing a grown man trying to sit in the desk he used as a boy. She found it comical and could feel a smirk on her face. Even the pencil he was holding looked like it would snap at the merest exertion of force. Selina took note of a scar that began at the top of his spine; the rest of it hidden by his vest. What kind of hell had this man had to endure?

"What do you want?" Bane said without turning around, still intent on his work. Selina automatically opened her mouth to answer him, but the eager guard still holding her wrists beat her to it, "I've caught the Cat."

At this Bane turned his head, his eyes crinkling at the corners, "Kitten! Daggett will be upset you broke off your date," he sauntered over to Selina, "he had a special evening planned for the woman who attempted to rob him." Selina enjoyed the view of his bulging biceps as he drew nearer.

"What? Are you disappointed? I thought you'd be happy to see me," her voice was deep and husky. Bane looked her up and down. This was probably the first time in her life she felt embarrassed of her cleavage. With Selina's hands behind her back her breasts were jutting out. She should've zipped up before she came down here.

Bane reached out and for a minute Selina thought he was going to grab her tit, but instead he flicked at her pearl necklace, "I see you had fun at Wayne Manor," the spot on her collar bone where he had touched her burned as she said, "You should have seen me, I was the belle of the ball. Bruce Wayne was literally head over heels for me." Selina was prodding him, trying to see if Bane had a sense of humour. It seemed he didn't.

"Where are the fingerprints?" Bane folded his arms across his chest as he waited.

"If you would be so kind as to get this guard of yours to stop pressing his hard-on into my back, I'll give them to you," Selina quirked her eyebrow at him, almost challenging him. She wasn't making it up, the bastard had been grinding against her ever since he had caught her.

Bane was on the man in an instant, his brows furrowed and his eyes a light with rage. Selina backed away both intrigued and repulsed by what she was seeing. Bane had grabbed the guard by the throat and was slowly crushing his wind pipe. It was exactly what Bane had done to her when they first met. Only now there was no control, no mercy. The veins in Bane's arm had risen to the surface; Selina thought she could almost see them throbbing.

Then with his other hand Bane pulled the guard close to him. It seemed like he was whispering in his ear, but Selina couldn't hear anything over the rushing water. Until now Bane had seemed rational and in control of his emotions. Why had he just snapped? Maybe Bane was reminding her of what he was capable of. Crunch! It sounded like the snapping of a chicken bone. Bane simply dropped the body then kicked it into the water. He didn't look back.

Selina was sickened by this act, but in a strange way she also felt…empowered. All it had taken was a few words from her and now a man was dead. It was a good, clean kind of revenge and _her_ hands weren't the bloody ones. But any confidence she felt deflated as Bane walked over and held out his hand, grumbling, "Now."

She slipped an envelope out of her cat-suit and handed it to him. As Bane inspected her work Selina said, "Thank you for defending the little I have left of my honor," she took two steps back towards the tunnel, "Good luck with-" Boom! Selina's goodbye was interrupted by a loud explosion from somewhere deep within the tunnels. She stopped dead in her tracks. The sound echoed through the tunnel and into Bane's chamber.

Selina looked with alarm at Bane wondering if he knew what the hell was going on. He didn't look the least bit concerned. He simply slipped Bruce Wayne's fingerprints into a pocket on his vest and said, "Well done, Kitten. You live up to your reputation."

She smiled at him, comforted by his calmness, "And I'm even better in bed," she could hear the sound of yelling as Bane's mercenaries mobilized into action, "_Not_ that you will ever have that pleasure."

"You are projecting. I never said I wanted it," Bane said. Then he got a strange look in his eyes. Selina was debating whether or not she should take her chances and bolt back down the tunnel when Bane again reached at her. This time, instead of carefully toying with them, he yanked at the pearls and tore them off. Selina barely had time to yell, "Hey!" before he threw them into the water. She growled as she clenched her fists, "What the fuck?" Selina felt herself moving into a fighting stance, but Bane casually ignored her.

A couple of Bane's men filed in with captives as Bane told her, "Don't worry, Kitten, I'll get you a new bauble to play with." As he turned his back on her Selina unsheathed her claws, preparing to tear his mask off. But then she saw the captives. Two of Gotham's finest. Selina recognized the Commissioner (his moustache was hard to miss), but the young cop could have been anyone. "Fuck…" she said softly as she realized what she had done. There must have been a tracker on the necklace. Selina had led the police straight to Bane. Fuck, fuck, fuck. She was in deep shit. And so were the cops. Whatever their fate was, it would be her fault for leading them here.

Bane began questioning his men about what had happened. But it soon became apparent that the guards were completely inept. They hadn't even searched their prisoners! Bane punched one in the head and verbally lashed out at the others. Selina wondered how many of his own men Bane killed in a day.

Selina looked down at Gordon. He was moaning on the ground where one of Bane's men had thrown him. The explosion was too much for the older man to take. The lenses of his glasses were cracked. This little detail made Selina pause. He probably had a wife and kids. Then she turned away leaving Bane to search the Commissioner. Gordon should have retired by now, she thought.

Selina, unobserved by Bane, began slowly approaching the exit. But a flurry of movement off to the side halted her. The young cop was in the middle of performing a reverse head-butt on the man guarding him. Shit, she thought, as the cop punched the guard in the temple and reached for a gun. Suddenly everything was chaos. She had to get out of there. Selina bolted for the tunnel. She could hear a few guns going off and grunts of pain. But Bane saw her, bellowing, "No!" Before she could reach the exit a metal gate slammed down, shutting her in.

Selina whirled around, her hand instinctively falling on her whip. "Freeze!" The young cop yelled. He was holding a gun aimed at Bane. "John Blake, GCPD. Let the Commissioner go!" Blake meant business judging by the bodies of Bane's men littering the floor.

Bane, as usual, was unhurried as he walked towards Blake. "You've done well, Mr. Blake," Bane said, gesturing to the carnage around them. "It's too bad your toy gun won't save you. This isn't the place for little boys with shiny badges." Selina was struck by how everything Bane said seemed to have a lyrical quality. With menace laced underneath.

Selina took out her whip and began swinging it through the air. She didn't need this little shit causing trouble any more than Bane did. John Blake had balls; that was undeniable. But she could see the slight shaking of his hand and the sweat forming on his brow. With Bane in front of you and Catwoman behind you, who wouldn't be scared?

Selina threw her whip out and sliced Blake across the hand. "Ow!" Reflexively he dropped the gun. A red ribbon of blood formed where the whip had cut him. Selina again threw her whip out this time sliding the gun down into the water.

"Your last defense is gone," Bane said as he stopped a few feet away from Blake. Blake backed up, but then he saw Selina just behind his shoulder. He was trapped. Blake knew his time was up. And apparently so did Jim Gordon. The incapacitated Commissioner rolled off the edge of the balcony into the churning water below.

"And now, pretty boy, you're alone," Selina said. She looked over at Bane. Was he going to kill Blake? Kidnap him? Make an example of him? Selina waited for a sign. But it wasn't up to Bane to decide. Blake took the initiative and threw himself into the water after Gordon.

Selina walked over to the railing and looked down. She wondered where the two men had been swirled off to and if they would reach their destination alive. "For their sakes I hope they can swim," she said. Silence. "You're not very talkative, are you?" Selina questioned Bane as she turned around. He had wandered off into the tunnel. Selina jogged to catch up to him. And for a second time that night she had a metal gate slammed down in front of her face. Only this time Selina was caged on one side and Bane was free on the other.

She grasped the bars of the door, her heart pounding and her throat closing up with anxiety. Was this trap her punishment for unwittingly luring the Commissioner here?

"Bane! What the fuck! Let me out!" Selina tried to calm down. Bane was a rational man. Hysteria wouldn't get her anywhere. "I did what you wanted me to do," instead of screaming, as she had before, Selina said this in a low growl. "If this is your way of taming me it's not going to work."

Bane walked up to the gate and looked at her. She tried imploring him with her green eyes, but his brown eyes remained impenetrable. "And where will you go?" he said. Selina furrowed her brows in confusion. Obviously she would go home. Bane came closer, their faces only inches away, separated by the bars. She could hear the whooshing of air in his mask, she could see the fine wrinkles around his eyes. "By now," he continued, "Bruce Wayne has solved the problem of your identity and is stalking out your apartment." How did Bane know she lived in an apartment? A lucky guess? "Or," Bane went on, as though he were talking to a simpleton, "he's told the police and they are preparing to ambush you. And if Bruce Wayne," Selina noticed he said the name with a hint of malevolence. Almost like he knew him personally. "Was foolish enough not to tell them, Miss Kyle," her eyes widened. He knew who she really was. How long had he known? Was this all part of his sick plan? "I will." His voice dropped to octaves she had never heard before.

Selina grasped the bars harder. She was surprised they didn't groan from the force she was using. Quietly she said, "How long have you been stalking me? Did you enjoy peeping into the window and watching me undress?" She grimaced and growled again, "You prick!" She lashed out with her claws, reaching between the bars, doing anything she could to reach him. But it was no use.

Bane stepped away as he told her, "If my company is so undesirable, feel free to leave at any time. Gordon did." Selina let out an exasperated yell. She couldn't swim and he probably knew it. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kitten. We have work to do." And with that he left her feebly pulling at the door of her cage.


	10. Chapter 10

Selina awoke to the sound of rushing water. She instantly knew where she was. It had been impossible to escape the events of the night before, even in her sleep. Her dreams had been invaded by Bane's ominous presence. He seemed to lurk in the shadows just beyond her perception. Selina tossed and turned as she waged a war within herself, one part of her trying to draw ever closer to Bane and the other wanting to run away. But she awoke before she could see who would win.

She threw her legs over the side of the cot as she tried to wake up. Earlier, after Bane had trapped her, Selina had searched her prison. Everything a person needed to survive was down there, even a toilet and a shower. She found a box of granola bars, the kind the military ate, as well as a few cans of various other foods. Selina had been too exhausted to do more than a rudimentary search of Bane's room. She took note of a map with a myriad of black crosses marking different parts of the city. And she also found canisters of what she assumed was the medicine Bane needed to survive. Selina had toyed with the idea of throwing them down into the sewage. It would have been satisfying to toss them away in the same manner he had tossed the pearl necklace. But ultimately Selina decided against such a petty act of revenge. Bane was too smart to leave her alone with his only means of survival. By this point Selina's eyelids had begun to droop uncontrollably so she gave up the search and simply grabbed a tank top of Bane's and retreated to a cot she had found at the opposite end of the chamber. Then Selina promptly collapsed into what she had thought would be a deep sleep.

And instead here she was with a foggy head, bloodshot eyes, and an insatiable rage. But that wasn't all Bane's fault. If Selina hadn't been so weak, if she hadn't allowed her emotions to come into play, she wouldn't be sitting in a sewer picking at her fingernails until they bled. She had become too cocky in the last couple of years. She had gotten away with so much Selina had thought she could just walk in and out of Bane's lair. Instead she had gleefully stepped into the spider's web. A voice in her head whispered that Selina was enjoying her current predicament. Her fists clenched in angry denial.

Selina rose to her feet, looking to let out her aggression. And that's when she saw a light shining from Bane's alcove. A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth. Her punching bag was home. Selina knelt down and stuck her hand underneath the cot. She ignored the filth and grime on the floor as she reached into the dark. She swiped away the spider webs and pulled out the gun that she had hidden there. Fortunately for her Bane's guards were sloppy and hadn't searched her. Selina double checked the clip, flicked off the safety, and slunk over to Bane's room.

As she approached, again Selina thought that she was probably making a stupid mistake. Her head throbbed and her body felt sluggish from lack of sleep. But the weight of the gun in Selina's hand felt too good to stop as did the thought of teaching Bane a lesson. It didn't even matter to her that she was only covered by a large tank top that barely covered her ass or her breasts that threatened to swing out the sides.

Selina peered around the corner, holding her breath with her gun at the ready. She could see Bane again sitting at the desk working on something. Selina wondered when the guy slept, if ever. The only difference was now he had no shirt on. Selina paused for a moment, admiring the width of his shoulders and the muscles in his back. Bane was pure masculinity personified. She shook her head, trying to clear it of the sudden rush of hormones, and stepped out from around the corner.

She took a step forward. Then another. Her bare feet didn't make a sound as she approached, her gun raised at the ready, aimed at his head. But Selina couldn't stop her heart from beating rapidly or her breath from coming quickly.

"Don't you know curiosity killed the cat?" Bane said to her without turning around, his pencil rushing across the paper. The sudden sound of his voice jarred her and Selina stumbled.

"Lucky for me your name's not 'Curiosity'," Selina said as she recovered, gun still at the ready. Come on, Selina, she told herself. Just pull the Goddamn trigger and get out of here. But in that momentary pause Selina's confidence crumbled. Here she was with no underwear on aiming a tiny pistol at Gotham's nemesis. This was ludicrous.

The silence was deafening. Selina felt like her cowardice had been exposed even though Bane still hadn't looked at her. To conceal her doubt, Selina calmly said, "Where did you get the name 'Bane' anyways?" She took a slow step back, but she was careful to never lose her aim on his head.

"It's fitting in more ways than one, Kitten," his pencil paused as he deliberated how much he wanted to tell her. "From the time I was conceived I caused only misery and ruin. When I was rechristened with it, 'Bane' seemed more fitting than any other name ever given to me," Bane said this casually, as though it was an everyday occurrence. But it pained Selina. She knew those same feelings. "It is nothing short of my destiny," Bane finished with a note of finality.

Selina's hands trembled. With just a few words Bane had become humanized. He wasn't simply a monster that she could easily dispose of. Without knowing the exact events of Bane's life, she now had an idea of how he felt. And it wasn't all that far removed from her.

She forced her mind back to the current situation. Just because Selina could relate to him on a primal level didn't mean she was all warm and fuzzy inside. She was still pissed off and wanted to beat the shit out of him. "Since you're being such a good boy," Selina said as she relaxed her stance slightly, "let's continue with 21 questions. Question number 2, where did you get that scar on-"

He was up and on her in a flash, before she could even react. Bane grabbed the gun in his large hands as Selina tried to keep her grip but it was no use. Her hands were slick with sweat and she was no match for his brute strength. Bane turned her gun over, inspecting it. It looked so small and feeble in his palms. "Not bad," he said as he shrugged his shoulders, "but a weapon is only as powerful as the person holding it." Bane flicked the safety back on and threw it to the side.

And that was when Selina hit her boiling point. Her fists clenched and she wouldn't have been surprised if smoke started coming out her ears. Furious at Bane for his little comment and for shattering any illusions she had about her strength, Selina lost the sliver of control she had been holding onto. She grunted as she swung her fist at his head. Bane ducked, annoying her further. She swung with the other arm for his gut, but he stepped back. Selina flung her leg out in a round house kick as Bane evaded her. This continued for some time. It was a strange dance of sorts. He swerved as she swung. Occasionally she was able to connect, briefly satisfied with herself. But Selina never got any reaction out of him. Bane was silent, the only sound Selina's grunts and pants. In a way, Selina enjoyed the exercise. She was getting out everything she couldn't put into words. Her frustrations, her anxieties, her pain. And she could've sworn that somehow, by the look in his eye, Bane understood.

Selina was pounding her fists into his chest. Wham, wham, wham, wham. And then she realized that Bane was no longer moving. He was just staring down at her, amusement twinkling in his eyes. She could feel the heat in her cheeks as she was suddenly thrust out of her trance. Bane seized her wrists, stopping her persistent fists. "If you are done lashing out at me due to your own inadequacies," Bane said, his hands more effective than any handcuffs, "I have something for you." Bane walked away as Selina wondered what the hell he was up to. She wouldn't have been shocked if he threw a grenade at her and asked her to catch it.

Instead Bane came back holding out something as though it were some kind of peace offering. It glittered in the light and as Selina grasped it she saw that it was a choker. It was rather simple, just a few silver embellishments with an emerald at the center. She didn't know what to say. Selina looked up at Bane, but immediately looked down again. She did not want to know what was going on in his head. She forced herself to give a short laugh and ignore the butterflies in her stomach. "Finally, a man who keeps his word. Just my luck he's a terrorist and lives in a sewer."

Bane stepped back. The wall between them was back up. Selina couldn't help regretting it. But she was safer this way. He returned back to his desk as he told her, "Get some sleep. You'll undoubtedly need it for the days ahead."

"Care to let me in on your little plan? No?" she sighed. Selina would be getting no reaction out of Bane's back. The exhaustion hit her and Selina slowly made her way back to her cot feeling somehow altered. Selina couldn't name how or why. She wondered how else she would change in the days ahead. For the better or the worse? Maybe Bane knew. He seemed to be able to read her mind so maybe he could also read into her future. No matter what happened he'd have a hand in shaping it. And in shaping her. Selina slipped on the choker before she laid her head down feeling comforted by its weight around her neck. It was an oddly familiar sensation. She thought of Bane's hands as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A/N: Finally another chapter lol. I'm back at university so updates will be slow but this is one story I am determined to finish! Thanks for reading and reviewing as always. Some of your reviews just make me so happy XD


End file.
